Most blogging encounters occur out in cyberspace. The meetings of the minds — and photographs and texts — take place in the two dimensions of Flatland. But every once in a while, kind of like a pop-up, an actual meeting materializes in three dimensions, in real reality, not the virtual one.

There were big broad smiles all around, there was the solid breadth of two human beings occupying space,and an odd sensation of having already known this person whom we were each meeting for the first time, because we already knew them so well from their respective blogs.

40 Green Street Lunch of the truly Parisian baguettes and croissants was unexpectedly on vacation, so we subbed with breakfast sandwiches and scones at Bread Euphoria. Then we went — of course! — to Look Park, to see the actual little train in action coming round the real life little bend.

Conversation bubbled like champagne, and the summer afternoon flew by like the puffy white clouds overhead in the clear blue sky. Real life Hub got in on the encounter as well.

Photo by Jen Payne

It’s nice to know, isn’t it, that for all the wonders of the virtual world, real people in real life still top them all!

How cool is that? And Bread Euphoria – such a grand place to get to know someone! I have yet to meet a fellow blogger in person (except for you of course, but we already knew one another). Lucky you two!

I loved this story and the photos! Even though we know we are ‘real’ here too, meeting in real life makes it all so different. Still … after all these years online, the only person I’ve met in real is Gerry!

Lovely pictures and story! It’s been one of the totally unexpected pleasures of my relatively short time in the blog world that I have actually met (three-dimensionally speaking) no fewer than five fellow bloggers – two in France, one in Austria and two from the US (either on my travels to their countries or when they were visiting London). All have been delightful encounters with lovely and interesting people, and I still find it amazing and wonderful that these connections have been made possible by my little blog.
If I ever get close to your part of the world, Judith, I would love to be able to ring your actual doorbell, and I very much hope that if you come to London you would ring mine!

Those bright smiles say it all!
Connections are such a tenuous business. Somehow we shift through various layers in finding a comfort zone of commonality but the magic that happens upon such a discovery is truly priceless and I am so happy for you and Jen! And Real Life Hub!

Like you, I have just had a blogger friend visiting, from the States no less, staying in my valley for a week. We ‘knew’ each other instantly, without ever having met before and now we have ‘real’ friends across the ocean, not just virtual friends. Sometimes blogging is a real joy.

Yes, it is a joy — and very often a surprise — and a stimulus in many ways. All kinds of good things! Pauline’s blog is one of the best.
I will have to check out yours, Ursula. We used to go frequently to England; now we don’t travel much any more and I miss it!
(Uh oh, Safari didn’t find your blog, can you add your URL to the comments?)
((I found it, and it looks extremely interesting, looking forward to a good browse!))

This is a geat story, and it reminded me to remind myself (!) that this is only a kind of ‘shadow world’, as Plato might have said. But we’re having our conversations with real people!

And as far as I am concerned (and if I may add this remark here), the pictures I show and look here on the www may have their in-the-flesh existence: printed, matted, framed, and on walls. But hey, virtual sharing is a great thing, too.

A brave move but then you are a knight in shining…in the world of blog. I guess these are the kinds of encounters that offer -so much to gain and little to lose – opportunities. Loved reading this along with the pics too!